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.Bill also told me that I would be leaving the next day for a pass to Paris! I couldhardly believe it.As terrible as it was at the front, I really hated to leave because I knewthat we would probably be moving out again in a day or two.Sergeant Joe Pawlak, mymortar platoon sergeant, said he could break in the new lieutenant all right.Pawlak was agood soldier and good leader.I had all the confidence in the world in him.Private Olson carried me back to the reinforcement company.When I got there, I sawFrank Caputo, who had just been made captain.I hadn t seen him since Colonel Boydstunwas killed.Frank was on his way home.Dave Morgan, from the 1st Battalion, and I were the only officers going to Paris.Wehad about twenty men with us.A truck carried us to Luxembourg City, where we were tocatch a train to Paris.We stopped on the outskirts of Luxembourg at a place where themen had their duffel bags stored so they could get some clean clothes.While we were there, Dave and I decided to look in our Val Packs.I hadn t seen minefor eight months, and I was just curious.We looked at our pinks, our blouses, and our low-quarter shoes, and then we looked at each other and decided we d do the thing up rightand go to Paris all dressed up.We had a few hours to wait in Luxembourg City, so wedecided to try and get the men some passes.We had to go to Third Army Headquarters toget them.A guard in a snappy uniform stopped us as we approached the grounds.After tellinghim what we wanted, he let us pass.As we walked toward the building, we could see that General Patton had done well for himself in choosing a CP.His headquarters was in apalace with long wide corridors and spacious rooms.We stopped at a desk marked Information. Behind the desk was a slick-hairedlieutenant casually filing his fingernails.I almost vomited.He looked us over from head tofoot and then with a disgusted grimace said, What do you want? It was all I could do tonot jump over the desk and drag him outside.Dave said, Say, Mac, is General Patton in? To which the lieutenant replied in his sarcastic tone, I can let you speak to one of his aidsif you want to. Dave turned red. Lieutenant, we are on our way to Paris with a group of men.SomeMPs stopped us near the railroad station and said that we were in a Third Army town, andthat all troops had to wear helmet liners.Our men left their helmets and liners with thecompany when they left to go to Paris.We have only overseas caps and no weapons.Isthere some way we could get permission to walk around in Luxembourg City withoutbeing stopped by the MPs because we don t have helmet liners? With a brazen look, thelieutenant replied, I don t think so, but you might ask the MPs.They have an office rightdown the hall. We left Luxembourg City about 2:00 a.m.on March 4 via train, and arrived in Parisabout 5:00 that afternoon.After we exchanged our money, Dave and I told the men thatwe would see them in a few days.A bus took us to our hotel, the Lafayette Club.As wechecked in, the girl at the desk told us that they were now serving supper, and it would bebest for us to eat now and clean up afterward.As we started toward the dining hall, we had to stand aside to let Air Corps pass.Hehad thick black hair, tailored pinks, and a green tailored ETO jacket.Instead of a tie hehad a white silk scarf folded around his neck.As he passed Dave said, Doesn t he smellpretty.If you name it, you can have it. Another doughboy with us said it must be afashion parade.They had an orchestra to play for us while we ate chow. Air Corps andsome of his buddies passed by our table and dropped the remark, What is it that stinks soabout this place? Those were clearly fighting words, but we remained calm.We were inParis!After supper, Dave and I enjoyed a hot bath, which we needed badly, climbed into ourpinks, and set out to see the city.We headed for the Montmarte, went to a night club, andcrashed the joint.A gorgeous brunette and a blonde took the table next to us soon after wesat down.We asked them to dance.After a few dances Dave said to me, Why in the hell can t you speak French, so we canget things started? In front of us was a sergeant rattling in French with his girl.Davepunched him and said, Say, Sarge, how about talking to our girls to see where we stand? The sergeant rattled French to the brunette and blonde. What s the score, Sarge? I asked. The girls seem to like you, but as far as anything else is concerned, they say that it alldepends & We got back to our hotel at about 4:00 a.m.and decided to go into the Red Cross Cluband have a cup of coffee before going to bed for a few hours.Who should be leaningagainst the doughnut counter but Air Corps. Dave and I got our coffee and sat down at atable
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